PORTLAND, Ore. – Led by preseason Cascade Collegiate Conference Player of the Year Nicole Gall, the College of Idaho is the overwhelming favorite to capture the 2010-11 CCC women’s basketball title, according to a poll of the conference head coaches.
College of Idaho picked up nine of 10 first-place votes and totaled 99 points in the balloting. Southern Oregon collected the other first-place vote and shared the No. 2 position with Corban (77 points each). Eastern Oregon (72) was picked fourth, and was followed by Warner Pacific (64), Concordia (44), Oregon Tech (39), Northwest (38), Evergreen (21), and Northwest Christian (19).
C of I captured CCC regular season and postseason tournament titles last year after sharing the regular season crown in 2008-09.
The Yotes, who are looking to advance to the NAIA Tournament for a third consecutive season, are expected to be led by veteran guard Nicole Gall, a 5-11 senior who earned NAIA third team All-American and CCC Defensive Player of the Year honors after averaging 17.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and collecting 111 steals last season. C of I’s other returning starter is senior forward Nicole Bruce, who earned honorable mention all-conference recognition after averaging 9.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and totaling 34 blocked shots in 2009-10.
Southern Oregon is expected to be led by senior guard Whitney Scott, who returns to the Raiders’ lineup after missing last season with an injury. Two years ago, Scott was a first team All-CCC choice after averaging 13.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. SOU also returns senior guard Jamie Roupp, a one-time transfer from Portland State, who averaged 6.2 points and 5.6 rebounds in 2009-10.
Corban, one of the CCC’s hottest teams down the stretch last season, returns its top five scorers and top four rebounders from a year ago, including junior forward Katie Steigleman who averaged 16.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
The 2010-11 Cascade Collegiate Conference women's basketball preseason poll, as determined by a vote of conference head coaches:
| Rk. |
Institution |
Points |
2009-10 Overall |
2009-10 CCC |
| 1 |
College of Idaho (9) |
99 |
21-8 |
14-4 |
| 2 |
Southern Oregon (1) |
77 |
20-11 |
8-10 |
| 2 |
Corban |
77 |
14-18 |
9-9 |
| 4 |
Eastern Oregon |
72 |
20-12 |
12-6 |
| 5 |
Warner Pacific |
64 |
18-10 |
13-5 |
| 6 |
Concordia |
44 |
13-16 |
7-11 |
| 7 |
Oregon Tech |
39 |
15-16 |
8-10 |
| 8 |
Northwest |
38 |
17-10 |
12-6 |
| 9 |
Evergreen |
21 |
10-19 |
5-13 |
| 10 |
Northwest Christian |
19 |
8-19 |
2-16 |
| First place votes in parentheses |